Steelers sign safety Jabrill Peppers

Jabrill Peppers (All Pro Reels Photography, Wikimedia Commons)

According to Michael David Smith of NBC Sports on Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers have signed safety Jabrill Peppers of East Orange, New Jersey. Peppers was cut on August 29 in a surprise decision by the New England Patriots. The length of the contract is for one year, and we do not know at this time the amount Peppers will be making.

The Steelers are Peppers’s fourth National Football League franchise. He has previously played two seasons with the Cleveland Browns (2017 and 2018), three seasons with the New York Giants (2019 to 2021), and the last three seasons with the Patriots (2022 to 2024).

Pittsburgh made this transaction for two reasons. First, safety DeShon Elliott of Dallas, Texas injured his knee against the New York Jets this past Sunday, and will not play for the Steelers in their home opener against the Seattle Seahawks this upcoming Sunday according to the Associated Press. Second, the Steelers defense was simply not very good at all against the Jets, and needed a change. The issue was more with the defensive line than with the secondary, but the bottom line is the Steelers are known for their defense, and it is a terrible day in Steel Country when they give up 30 points or more.

This past season, Peppers had 40 tackles (20 solo tackles and 20 assisted tackles), two tackles for a loss, one interception, two pass deflections, and one forced fumble. He was suspended for two months this past season due to legal issues. In January, Peppers was acquitted on charges of assault and battery by a jury according to ESPN.